Increasing Consumption of Non-Nutritive Sweeteners

Consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners has significantly increased in children, adolescents, and adults over the past two decades. There are eight non-sugar sweeteners approved for use in the US and Europe, including natural options like stevia and monk fruit extract, along with six synthetic ones like aspartame and sucralose. While short-term studies show benefits in reducing energy and sugar intake when replacing added sugars with non-sugar sweetened foods, long-term data on health outcomes is limited. Non-nutritive sweeteners are often found in ultra-processed foods, leading to potential confounding effects. The World Health Organization advises against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control or disease prevention due to inconclusive long-term health data, emphasizing the need for further research to understand their impact on health.